Retaining Counsel

RETAINING COUNSEL

Selecting a legal counsel must undergo very careful and deliberate process . In general and the first consideration is the level of educational qualifications of the top associates of a legal firm and their length of experience in their field of specialization and the pertinent licenses that they possess . Identifying their participation with bar associations will solidify their credential

To find the right legal counsel , the necessary information must be thoroughly gathered

Information about legal counsels are available from sources like the directory of the bar association the yellow

pages websites . There is also a publication called Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory . It is available in public libraries and has a list of all members of the legal bar . The directory likewise outlines the backgrounds and qualifications of lawyers and their area of specialization . Referral services could likewise be available to tap to find information . Friends and family can be a source of information also about legal counseling services they have availed (Uchida , 2005

From the said information , a shortlist of possible legal counsel to be retained must be made for further deliberation by means of initial personal discussion

The first impression assessment of confidence and comfort between a law firm and a client is the first most important consideration . The confidence and comfort of a client firm about the credentials and qualifications of the law firm must be essentially established

Such confidence and comfort can be assessed by the following questions

Has the lawyer [law firm] handled matters like this...